Grants
Government grants are sums of money given to an organisation or individual for an agreed purpose. Unlike contract procurement, grants usually focus on delivering outcomes more than specific outputs – ie the results rather than the activities or services carried out. The purpose of grants includes:
providing financial subsidy as support funding services funding research and development subscriptions informing public policy The new clauseGovernment is applying a new clause to be inserted into all government grant agreements (determination letters) from the new financial year, and no later than 1 May 2016:
The following costs are not Eligible Expenditure: Payments that support activity intended to influence or attempt to influence Parliament, government or political parties, or attempting to influence the awarding or renewal of contracts and grants, or attempting to influence legislative or regulatory action.
This ensures that taxpayers’ money is spent appropriately and in line with the intentions of government. Departments with explicit agreement from ministers will be permitted to remove the clause or make qualifications, which best reflect the nature of the grant purpose. Such exemptions must be clearly outlined in the grant agreement, reported and reviewed regularly. We expect these to be few and far between.
GuidanceThis guidance will remain on GOV.UK until 30 April 2016 after which departments will have their own guidance. The Cabinet Office may also publish, if deemed necessary, generic over-arching guidance on how this clause should operate.
Local copy of Implementation_Guidance_for_Departments_on_Anti-Lobbying_Clause.pdf seen at 09:35, 6 February in Publications on GOV.UK.
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